Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-04-27

INTERSTATE COMMERCE Law.
There has been a disposition on the
part Of railroad companies, since the
Interstate commerce law went into ef-
feet, To make that law as obnoxious as
possible. The commissioners have
been al psaled to Oh the most trivial
pretexts and firing Of this, they last
week wrote an exposition of the law
that, among other things, says
Congress has not taken the manage
ment VI the railroads out OF the hands
~ the railroad companies. Ii has sim
ply established certain general princi-
pies under which Interstate commerce
must Je conducted. IL has enacted ia
section that all Charges for inter
state transportation shall be reasOna-
Ole ana Just has prohibited In sec
ton = ali manner of of unjust discrim-
nations has forbidden ia section 3 all
undue and unreasonable preferences
and advantages has required in the
same section reasonable and equitable
facilities for the Interchange of traffic,
aud has prohibited in section the pool
ing OF ireIghts. That, in substance, is
liie Interstate commerce law. There
IS nothing novel IN these provisions.
They simply bring back the business of
the common carriers TO the well settled
principles OF the common law. Yet no
One Can deny that there was urgent
need of their statutory formulation.
Alleged difficulties in putting them
IN operation only disclosed examples of
the extent TO which they lIaye been yio-
lated III the past. These sections of
tie act are expressed in plain words.
n construction must be given to them
III the first instance 10y the carriers and
their patrons.
GOOd-faith, exhibited IN an honest eff
fort to carry out the requirements of
the law, will involve faiT-minded off
Gals in no danger Of damages and fines.
The elasticity of the statute in their IA
yor is noticeable. Throughout the act
as IT now stands in "A cOnfeSSedly eXpe-
rimental form, there Is exhibited an
obvious and generous purpose to allow
u the corporations ample scope in the
conduct of their business as common
carriers for the people and fair consid-
GRAFTON OF every reasonable claim, while
insisting upon just, impartial, open and
consistent rates of charge, to which
every citizen shall be subject alike
whose situation is the same surely the
people could not ask for less.
The language and the tenor of the
act wholly fail To justify railroad man
ayers, If any such there be. who refuse
10 accept responsibilities decline to Of
fer rates, neglect TO announce condi-
tions OF traffic, embarrass the customa
~ interchange of business and impose
stagnatiOn upon trade, while they
stick in the bark" Of the phases and
expressions of the law, inventing
doubts and imagining dangers. 1t is
still more unjustifiable for railroad
companies TO make use of the general
clauses Of the law, ignoring its modify
ing aud enlarging words and formulas.
in order to impose additional burdens
on localities, trades, professions. man
fractures, consumers, classes of travel
lers and employees, strdining and repres-
sing every construction in favor Of the
corporate treasury and quoting the new
law as their authority for all manner of
petty eXactiOns. The powers of the
commission are entirely adequate to
cope with such conduct. the existence
of which is rot affirmed. although It
has been somewhat publicly suggested.
The same statute which enacts that
charge for like services shall be uni
form to all. also provides that charges
in every case, and for every class and
kind OF service, sl.all be reasonable and
inst -